


Magician's curse

by Redzik



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Child Abuse, De-aged!Dick, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-02-26 09:31:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13232916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redzik/pseuds/Redzik
Summary: Dick got de-aged, but that was just the beginning of his problems.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was created because I wanted to post one little scene and I needed to set up a background so it would made sense. I started writing and it grew into... this, and I didn't even reached the scene yet! And I have been itching all day to post this, even if it's unfinished :/   
> WARNINGS: Child abuse, swearing.

“Serves you right!” the magician cackled at the lump in the black and blue suit. “I hope they’ll get rid of you fast!” With that he vanished.

The black material moved as whatever was in it struggled to find a way out. Finally a head with a mop of tousled hair and large blue eyes emerged attached to a naked body of a child shivering slightly at the cold night air of Blüdhaven. Immediately the boy curled back into the suit to find the lingering warmth. The blue eyes blinked in astonishment taking in the changes to the body that just a minute ago filled out the now oversized outfit perfectly.

He was small. Very small. He remembered everything, but it was overshadowed by an overwhelming fear and need for someone to hold him and make him feel safe. Tiny hands fumbled for the distress button, eyes bright with the unshed tears. He was in the dangerous part of the city completely defenceless and all he could do was to quiet his whimpers, that tried to escape his throat in an effort to not to draw attention to himself. He crawled toward the wall dragging the suit with him and wedged himself between some dirty boxes and trash container while he waited for someone to come get him.

It felt like eternity before a quiet thump signalled that someone dropped down into the alley. By that time he was numb with cold and so exhausted, he could barely keep his eyes open.

“Nightwing?” Red Robin questioned, looking around.

“Here,” Dick sniffed, untangling himself from his costume and on wobbly legs left his hideout.

“Dick?” Red Robin was taken aback at the sight of a tiny child. They boy was six year old at most, completely naked and almost blue from cold. Tim quickly shook himself and rushed to the kid, wrapping him in his cape.

“Timmy,” little Nightwing sighed, nuzzling into the warmth.

“Sith, Dick,” Red Robin cursed, rubbing the covered form to create more warmth quicker. “What happened?”

Tim took the child to Dick’s apartment and found him something to wear. Then he called Bruce to fill him in on the situation and relayed what Dick told him on the way. Dick left him to it, content to explore his own apartment from new perspective. He amused himself with climbing things and was attempting to walk across the back of the couch when Tim snatched him up.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Red Robin scolded.

Dick blinked in surprise at his irritated little brother. What had he done to anger him? He didn’t do anything wrong, he was just having a bit of fun and if he were to fall, he could easily make sure he landed on the soft side of the couch.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, just in case.

Tim sighed.

“Whatever,” he said carrying Dick to the door and collecting keys to his car on the way. “We’re going to the manor.”

On the way to Gotham Dick dozed off in the back seat. He only woke up when Tim tugged at him impatiently to get him out of the car.

“I’m up, I’m up,” Dick yawned widely stretching lazily.

Tim clucked his tongue and lifted him out of the car and up. He adjusted Dick in his hold non too gently, slammed the door shut violently and stomped to the entrance of the manor.

“Tim?” Dick asked uncertainly, startled by his brother’s actions.

Red Robin didn’t reply, just strode through the hall to the Batcave and dumped him in front of Bruce waiting for them.

“There,” he stated and left.

Dick watched him go with disappointed frown. He wanted to play with him after he was done with whatever Bruce wanted to do to find a solution for his predicament. He turned back to the man in question and shifted uncomfortably at the look on his face.

“Come this way,” Bruce ordered, pushing him in the direction of the medbay.

Dicks vision blurred with tears. He didn’t understand why they were angry with him. He didn’t do anything wrong. It wasn’t his fault he got turned into a child and needed some help. Maybe they were shocked by seeing him like that? Yes, that was it. They would get over it soon and everything would be fine.

Bruce lifted him onto the cot and stabbed a needle in his arm to draw some blood for test. Dick sucked in a breath at the prickling pain. He didn’t remember the procedure being that painful before.

“Stay still,” Bruce said almost as a growl when Dick squirmed trying to get away and gripped his arm tightly so it wouldn’t move.

Dick hiccuped, hot tears streaming down his cheeks and started crying in earnest as Bruce did nothing to sooth him, only slapped a wad on the wound to stop the bleeding when he was done and left to do some tests.

Dick wailed feeling confused and abandoned. He wanted someone to hug him, say everything would be alright, play with him, anything really just to get some positive attention.

“Master Dick!” Alfred tutted at him, materializing next to him. “This behaviour is unbecoming for a man of your age.”

“Alfieeee,” Dick cried, reaching for the butler. Alfred always took care of all of them without fail and Dick counted on it now.

Alfred sighed and picked him up. The boy snuggled up to him desperately.

“There, there,” the butler patted him gently on the back a few times and set him down on the floor. “Now run along, you should be in bed already,” he prompted and walked to where Bruce was busy with typing away on the computer.

Dick stared after him so dumbfounded that he stopped crying. With nothing left to do and nobody paying any attention to him, he trudged up to his room and collapsed onto his bed, burying himself under the warm covers. Maybe everything would be better tomorrow.

* * *

 

Everything wasn’t better tomorrow. If anything it was worse. Everyone snapped at him when he tried to talk to someone for longer periods of time. Any attempts at cuddling got him kicked out of the room entirely. Nobody even bothered to find him any clothes for his new size. Alfred just pointed him to the attic where Dick wrestled with boxes full of old stuff. Even the smallest ones he could find were still too big for him, but he didn’t have any other choice so he collected some outfits and cleaned the mess.

Next days were even worse. Dick couldn’t show up without someone shouting at him to stop bothering them. He was constantly jerked around and sent away. At some point Damian pushed him so hard he almost fell down the stairs. Only his acrobat training and quick reflexes saved Dick from tumbling down. Damian just sneered at him and walked off.

Dick cried through the entire night after that, quietly so he wouldn’t disturb anyone.

He started to avoid all of them, only seeing his family at meals and when it was absolutely necessary. After a week of that he had enough. He spend another sleepless night after Tim and then Damian yelled at him to fucking leave them alone already because they didn’t have the time to entertain a circus freak. Dick marched to the Batcave where Bruce spend most of his time, but he lost all his determination once he found himself at the end of the batglare.

“What do you want?” Bruce growled through clenched teeth.

Dick took a small step back at the hostility.

“I was just wondering if you found a way to fix me,” they boy stuttered.

“Not yet,” Bruce turned back to the computer. “I had other more important things to worry about. I’ll look into it when I have some free time.”

“What?” Dick cried incredulously. “You never have a free time! What about my life? I can’t stay like that!”

“You ungrateful little brat!” Bruce thundered, standing abruptly and sending the chair rolling away from the force. “Is this how you repay me for putting up with you? Whining about your miserable life?!”

“Bruce,” Dick stuttered out terrified.

The man backhanded him and Dick crumpled to the floor with a whimper. The hit was quickly followed by a kick to his ribs. Dick felt something snap and he coughed harshly.

“Get out!” Bruce screamed. “Get out of here, now!”

The boy scrambled to his feet despite the pain and ran out of the cave, through the manor and outside. He had to get away from them.

Dick stopped running when he couldn’t breathe anymore. He collapsed on the ground and let himself rest for a moment. His chest hurt fiercely due to a broken rib if not more and his cheek throbbed. He barely stopped himself from sobbing so he wouldn’t worsen his condition.

Dick needed help, but he didn’t know where he could get it. His family was acting strange and there was no guarantee that his friends would act any different. But he had to at least got himself checked over by a doctor and who was better than Leslie? He heaved himself up and started a long trek to the city.

A few hours later tired and hungry Dick finally reached the main part of Gotham. Sadly, it was still far to the clinic where Leslie worked. He sighed as deeply as he dared and resumed his walk only to freeze a few steps later. There was a very familiar car heading his way. Dick panicked and took off.

He ran through the streets of Gotham. It was getting dark and people of a more dangerous kind started to appear. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t go back to the manor. And whatever safe house he would choose, they would find him anyway and that would be even worse than going back on his own. His vision blurred as tears gathered in his eyes at the thought of his home. His cheek throbbed and chest ached, but he pushed forward.

“Hey, watch it, kid!” some drab exclaimed as Dick accidentally brushed him on his way.

“Sorry!” Dick shouted, turning around to walk backwards, giving the man an apologetic grin.

He turned back to start running again, but smacked straight into someone’s legs. Dick cried out in surprise and pain as he fell to the ground with a thud, jarring his already hurting body.

“Shit!” the legs exclaimed and bend down. “Are you okay?”

Dick sniffed, momentarily paralysed by the pain. A familiar redhead, green eyed face swam into his line of vision frowning in worry.

“Roy,” Dick whimpered.

Roy Harper frowned harder then his eyes widened in recognition.

“Dick?!” he exclaimed. “What happened to you? Are you hurt?”

“It hurts,” Dick agreed through tears. “I think my rib is broken.”

“Fucking hell,” Roy muttered and picked him up carefully.

Dick whimpered as he was shifted, but soon he was settled comfortably in archer’s arms.

“Why are you a child? Do you remember anything? Maybe you time traveled?” The redhead fired question after question. “Shit. Now I have to call Bruce.”

“No!” Dick protested frantically grabbing at his shirt in desperation and ignoring the flare of pain the motion caused. “Don’t call him. Don’t call any of them. Please. Please, don’t call them! Please!”

“Okay, I won’t,” Roy promised taken aback. “Just calm down before you hurt yourself more.”

Dick slumped in his arms in relief.

Roy took the kid to the safe house the Outlaws were currently staying in. He took care of Dick’s injures, feed him and laid him to sleep in Jason’s bed. Dick was too exhausted from his run and pain to pay much attention to his surroundings, falling asleep the instant his head hit the pillow.

* * *

 

When Jason got back to their safe house, Roy was sprawled before TV playing some game. This wasn’t an unusual sight. What was new was that it was almost completely muted, which was weird because Roy liked to play with sound on full volume.

“Hey,” Jason greeted, heading to his bedroom to change.

Roy murmured a greeting distractedly, too focused on what was happening to his video character to pay much attention to anything else.

Jason shook his head and stepped into his room, dropping his Red Hood gear near the door to clean up later and froze, blinking rapidly a few times, convinced he was seeing things.

“Roy,” Jason backed out of his room as if it contained a poisonous snake. “Why there’s a kid in my bed?”

“Oh, yeah,” Roy smiled sheepishly pausing his game. “It’s Dick. I found him like that. I don’t know what happened. He was too incoherent to say anything. He crashed as soon as I patched him up.”

“Patched him u… Whaa? Dick?!”

“Shh!” Roy shushed him. “Let him sleep. He needs it.”

“And I don’t?” Jason scowled.

“There’s plenty of room,” Roy shrugged going back to the game. “Be careful of his ribs.”

Jason stared at him for a minute, but the archer was ignoring him again. He sighed, went through his nightly routine and went to bed.

* * *

 

Jason rolled over onto his other side, laying his head in the crook of his bend elbow and looked at the sleeping child next to him. Dick was at the edge of the bed facing him, curled into himself cutely. Jason somehow had to push him over, because when they started, the Red Hood had barely any room to lay down. Dick shifted slightly, making light sucking noises and bringing his curled hand near his mouth with a thumb barely touching his lips. Jason had to stop himself from cooing at the sight. Instead he gently swept aside the dark bangs from Dick’s eyes. No wonder the Golden Boy liked his hair long, since apparently he was raised to have them like that. His expression darkened as his knuckles gently caressed the bruised cheek. Whoever had done this was going to pay.

Dick shifted again and his blue eyes blinked open to settle on Jason. Jason tried to smile, but he apparently wasn’t doing a great job of it as he was still pissed off at Dick’s injures. Blue eyes widened in something uncomfortably close to fear and Dick flung himself away from him, going over the edge of the bed.

“Whoa!” Red Hood lunged after him, just barely managing to catch the kid with his arm and hauled him back on the bed.

Dick coughed and wheezed, face red and eyes wet, laying completely still.

“Shit!” Jason cursed, sitting up and checking the boy over, just now remembering Roy’s warning about his ribs. “Shit, shit, shit. Roy!” he called, panicking a little. He needed to get Dick to a doctor. Why Roy didn’t take him after he found him? Why didn’t he? Shit.

“What is it?” Roy yawned from the doorway sleepily. He still had the clothes from last night, but now they were rumpled from him sleeping in them on the couch.

“Stay with him,” Jason commanded, leaving the bed and throwing some clothes on hurriedly. “I’m taking him to Leslie.”

The archer was awake in an instant and rushed to Dick’s side, murmuring comfortingly to him.

Jason left their dingy apartment and barged in to the one next to them. For the first time since he came back from the dead Jason cursed not having a car, but his neighbour had one. Red Hood had no qualms in “borrowing’ it right now, the man probably wouldn’t even notice he was so drunk. He quickly made his way down to check if the car was even running and then went back to the safe house.

Roy was already in the process of carrying Dick out, so Jason shut the door behind them and lead them to the car. He helped Roy to get in and rushed to the driver’s side, peeling off even before he had the doors properly closed.

“Calm down, Jaybird,” Roy said firmly. “You crashing the car won’t get us there faster and every pothole and sharp turn just makes it worse for Dick.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right,” Jason nodded his asset and slowed down. He still was going over the limit on the straight sections of the road, but he was driving much safer than before.

Eventually they got to the clinic and hastily made their way inside and to Leslie. The good doctor took one look at the crying child and immediately whisked the boy for examination while she let Roy and Jason tell her what they knew. She almost dropped him in shock when Jason said it was Dick.

When she was finished, she rewrapped Dick’s ribs, handed Jason a prescription of painkillers and send them on their way with instructions to not led the kid move to much and to make sure he had plenty of rest.

Jason dropped Roy off at their safe house and directed the car toward the manor. As much as he didn’t want to go there, he assumed that it would be better for Dick to spend his recovery time being fussed over by family. And Batman should have a way to fix this.

“Where are we going?” Dick asked muzzily. He was still somewhat dazed by the painkillers and Jason didn’t like it, but it beat having the kid crying from pain.

“The Wayne manor,” Red Hood replied. The gates came into view and Jason slowed down to wait until they opened. He parked the car before the front door and turned to Dick.

The kid was crying, silent tears streaming down his cheeks and Jason frowned. Probably a side effect of the painkillers, made Dick a little more emotional.

“Come on, Dickie,” he said opening the door for him. He helped the boy to get out of the car as much as Dick would let him. For some reason he was flinching every time Jason got too close. Red Hood tried to ask about it, but Dick was quiet, attaching himself to Roy instead. He was jealous and it pissed him off, not helping matters at all. It should be him Dick was clinging to, he was the brother after all, not Roy.

They made their way inside and were promptly greeted by the butler.

“Master Jason,” Alfred smiled warmly. “It’s good to see you.”

“Hi, Alfie,” Red Hood greeted back and gently pushed Dick forward. “Look who I found.”

The butler looked down and instantly his pleased expression turned to one of disdain.

“Master Dick,” Alfred spoke harshly. “It would be better if you went to your room immediately.”

Jason blinked in confusion at Alfred as Dick crossed through the hall toward the staircase, hunched into himself like he was going to his own execution.

“What-” he started.

“I thought we got rid of you,” Tim appeared form the kitchen and glared at the boy climbing the stairs. Dick flinched and quickened his pace.

“Todd,” Damian spat, also coming out to see what the commotion was about, “why did you brought that waste of space back here?”

“Excuse me?” Jason frowned. What was going on? “Why do you-”

“I told you to get out!” Bruce’s voice boomed.

Jason sighed in annoyance and looked up a retort ready on his lips, but Bruce was glaring from the top of the stairs at Dick not him.

The boy froze halfway up and shrunk into himself even more.

“Well?” Bruce growled threateningly and started to descent.

Dick whimpered and backed away nearly falling down the stairs.

Jason rushed forward and scooped the kid up, wrapping him in his arms and rubbing his back soothingly.

“Bruce, what the hell?” Jason yelled.

“He’s an ungrateful little brat,” Bruce spat coming closer, “and he didn’t learned his lesson.”

Said little brat clutched harder at Jason, simultaneously trying to get away from the Bat. He was shaking, tiny little whimpers making past his lips as he wet Jason’s neck with his tears.

Red Hood came to a shocking realization.

“You,” he said in disbelief, “you hit him.”

Bruce narrowed his eyes.

“Apparently not hard enough since he’s back here,” he growled.

Jason looked around with wide eyes. All of them were glaring at the child in his arms in displeasure.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Jason demanded and promptly decided that he didn’t care. He spun around and headed to the exit, Dick firmly tucked in his arms. “Actually fuck this. Stay away from us until you regain some sense.”


	2. Chapter 2

Jason stomped out of the manor with Dick clinging to him, got into the car and drove away without bothering to remove the limpet from himself. After he made sure to put some considerable distance from the mansion and not to get even a glimpse of the building in the rear mirror, Jason pulled over. He shut the car off and focused all his attention on calming down the kid.

“I’m sorry,” he said into the mop of tangled hair, running his hands comfortingly over the shaking little body. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I wouldn’t bring you here otherwise. I’m sorry.” Jason repeated that over and over until eventually Dick cried himself to sleep.

Jason very carefully eased himself out of the car and after some creative maneuvering placed the boy on the back seat. The kid started moving almost immediately making long unhappy noise, so he shrugged off his leather jacket and covered Dick with it to replace his body heat. The kid settled, curling into the warmth needily. It made Jason’s fists clench and glare in the direction of the manor. He took a few beep breaths and sat back behind the wheel. He started the car, glancing back at the peacefully sleeping child and drove in the direction of his hideout. Jason’s hands were shaking from the suppressed rage, so he was going slow and careful away from the Batfamily even if he wanted nothing more than go back and beat some sense into their sculls.

It took longer to reach the safe house than he anticipated, long enough for Dick to kind of wake up and start fussing until Jason seated himself on the couch, pulled him against his chest and covered them with a blanket. Apparently Jason’s warmth and the sound of his heartbeat was enough to lull Dick back to sleep, cuddled trustingly into him and sucking lightly on his thumb. Red Hood gently pulled his hand away from his mouth smiling at how adorable Dick looked at the moment. And then his attention landed on the bruise on the kid’s cheek and his mood plummeted down again.

“You look like you’re planning to kill someone,” Roy commented as he placed a mug with coffee on the table before Jason and sat next to him, peering at the sleeping child. “He’s so cute.”

Jason closed his eyes throwing his head back against the back of the couch and sighed. He swallowed and lifted his head to look at the redhead.

“I know who hurt him,” he said.

“Yeah?” Roy smirked nastily, imaging all the ways he would make the monster pay for hurting a child. “Why didn’t you leave Dick with Bats and let us deal with the bastard?”

“Because,” Jason paused, he still couldn’t believe that his family could do such a thing and he witnessed it with his own eyes, “it was him.”

“Him?” Roy repeated uncomprehendingly. After a few seconds he furrowed his brow. “Are you saying Bruce did this to him?”

“Yes,” Jason gritted out. He lifted the mug and took a big gulp of a hot coffee.

“Shit,” the redhead breathed. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Jason huffed. “But it wasn’t only Bruce, Alfred and the Brats were mean to Dick too. They were pissed that I brought him back home, like they were happy they got ‘rid of him’ and didn’t expect to see him again.”

“Ah,” Roy hummed, “it makes sense now.” At Jason’s questioning look he elaborated, “when I found him, he begged me not to call any of the Bats. I thought he was just embarrassed or something. I wouldn’t even imagine one of them hurting him.”

“Yeah,” Jason leaned down to bury his face in Dick’s hair.

“You think it’s magic?” Roy asked reaching for the remote and turned the TV on. The sound from the movie currently displayed boomed around the room and the redhead fumbled with the buttons to mute it.

Dick shifted slightly with a quiet grumble causing the two vigilantes to look at him with their breath held in anticipation. When it became clear that the kid didn’t wake up, they breathed out in relief.

“Sorry,” Roy smiled sheepishly at glaring Red Hood with a shrug. “So… magic?”

“Maybe,” Jason adjusted the blanket that slipped down a bit when Dick moved. “That would explain why Dick’s a child, but for the rest it could be anything really: mind control, doppelgangers, drugs, toxins, hostage situation.”

“Well, yeah, but we need to start somewhere,” the redhead pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. “Maybe Raven or Zatanna-”

“Hell no,” Jason protested. “Not the Titans or Justice League. They might be affected too.”

“Then who do you propose?” Roy scoffed. “We don’t know anyone else trustworthy who is able to do magic.”

“John Constantine,” Red Hood stated.

“You just said no Justice League,” Roy pointed out.

“Constantine hardly counts. He’s always off on his own,” Jason shrugged. “Besides I like him better.”

“Of course you do,” Roy muttered. “So, do you have his number?”

Jason blinked at him, Roy blinked back.

“Fuck,” Red Hood groaned, throwing his head back against the couch. “Dick has it for sure.”

“Yeah,” Roy agreed, “but he doesn’t have his phone on him. Or anything, really.” He frowned, “they didn’t even get him any clothes that fit him?”

Jason tightened his hold on the child protectively.

“You know as much as me,” he answered.

“Right. That’s it then!” Harper shoot to his feet and dropped the remote beside Jason. “You find Constantine. I’m going shopping.”

“What?” Jason protested. “Why you’re the one going shopping?!”

“Because you’re all cozy with Dickie,” Roy smirked, collecting his wallet and putting on his shoes. “Besides he’ll react better if he wakes up with you. And this way you won’t get jealous all over again over nothing.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jason stated nonchalantly.

“Uhuh,” Roy laughed. “I’ll be back soon. Dick’s pain meds are in the kitchen on the counter if needed.”

“I know,” Red Hood said. “I put them there.”

“Yeah,” Harper hesitated for a second and then darted forward to place a quick kiss on Dick’s head and then left just as quickly.

Jason clenched his jaw. Right. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have Dick here like this. Roy was already getting attached and they will loose the kid when Dick will grow back up. But like hell Jason was going to hand Dick over to someone else.

Red Hood sighed.

No sense in worrying for now. They didn’t know the full extent of the situation they’re facing and whether Dick will turn back soon or if it was permanent or can be fixed immediately. He’ll talk to Roy after they learn what they were dealing with.

Jason carefully leaned forward to reach for his phone laying on the table and selected Barbara’s number. He didn’t feel like talking to Bruce or Tim, besides Oracle was guaranteed to have contact to pretty much any hero on Earth.

After a short exchange of pleasantries they got down to business. She expressed her worry and promised to try to find what she could to help. Jason thanked her and after remembering the number, he hung up and called Constantine. The talk with John was short. Jason barely even mentioned that Nightwing was turned into child and Constantine already was promising to be there shortly.

Jason squinted at the phone suspiciously and then shrugged. Now he had to wait.


End file.
